Williams announce racing star’s F1 return as team confirm Sainz absence

A racing star will return to F1 for the second time in 2025, after Williams announced a replacement for Carlos Sainz at the Mexican Grand Prix.

Sainz will sit out FP1, making way for F2 star Luke Browning, before the Spaniard will then return to the track for the final two practice sessions as well as qualifying and the race on October 26.

British star Browning has been a member of the Williams driver academy since 2023, and has spent the 2025 season racing in F2, where he has claimed nine podiums and sits third in the drivers' standings.

He is also a Williams F1 test driver, and competed in FP1 at the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP, as well as the 2025 Bahrain GP.

Now, his return to the FW47 for practice at the Mexican GP has been confirmed, as part of the FIA's rookie driver rules, which state that each team must field a rookie in each of their cars at least twice throughout the season.

Browning said of the latest opportunity: "I’m hugely grateful to be given another chance to drive in a free practice session with Williams and to experience the FW47 for a second time.

"I’ve been working hard to prepare for the session so I can make the most of this amazing opportunity and help the team plan for the race weekend ahead. I can’t wait to get back into an F1 car and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone in the Driver Academy and at Williams for their trust and support."

Who will win F2 championship?

With two rounds remaining in the season, Browning sits 27 points behind F2 championship leader Leonardo Fornaroli.

American driver Jak Crawford is eight points closer to Fornaroli, while Richard Verschoor and Alex Dunne still have an outside chance of championship success in fourth and fifth.

F2 heads to Qatar at the end of November for a sprint race and a feature race, before reaching their season finale at the Abu Dhabi GP, just like F1.

It means a huge break in action for the youngsters, who last raced at the Azerbaijan GP, and many will be trying to gain experience in F1 sessions between now and the event at Lusail.

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